In order to manufacture an optimal and inexpensive cast, it is necessary to assess the configuration of the cast required before manufacture. To achieve this, a casting analysis using an electronic calculator, or computer, has been broadly used.
The casting analysis may be based on various parameters, such as flow, deformation, solidification, and the like. In particular, solidification is an important parameter and analysis of such can be used predicting a contraction generating region or the size thereof.
In the solidification analysis, a fraction solid is calculated based on emitted latent heat that is lost at a temperature equal to or less than a liquid line. The fraction solid is increased due to the latent heat emission. When calculating the fraction solid using such a method, a curve of the fraction solid verses temperature is used for calculating the latent heat, which is a key element of a solidification process. See Kenichi Ohsasa, Mayumi Shoji and Toshio Narita, “Prediction of Solidification Behavior in AC8C Alloy by Thermodynamic Calculation,” Casting Engineering, No. 8., Vol. 72, pp. 525-529 (Aug. 25, 2000).